A Girl’s Choice Between Loyalty and Love in Trailer for French Crime Drama, ‘Black’

A Girl's Choice Between Loyalty and Love in Trailer for French Crime Drama, 'Black'

It made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, and is now set to open in France on March 16, 2016, although no USA pick up at this time (and, quite frankly, I wouldn’t expect one; although maybe a film festival or two near you will select and screen it).

From co-directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah – Brussels-based filmmakers of Moroccan descent – comes “Black,” a feature film that’s based on the novel of the same name by Dutch author Dirk Bracke, which tells the story of Mavela, a 15-year-old member of a gang called the Black Bronx. She falls madly in love with Marwan, a charismatic member of a rival gang, known as the 1080s, and the young couple is forced to make a brutal choice between gang loyalty and the love they have for one another.

Here’s how TIFF summarized the film: “El Arbi and Fallah’s film moves forward at an electrifying pace, with furious energy and a gritty realism reminiscent of epic gangster films like ‘City of God’ and ‘Goodfellas.’ Ricocheting from moments of extreme tenderness to scenes of extreme violence, and enhanced by the raw performances of its young leads, ‘Black’ is a full-on, no-holds-barred experience that will resonate long after you’ve left the cinema.”

It doesn’t read as particularly fresh in terms of plot, and the below trailer doesn’t entirely win me over, but I’ll give a shot if it comes my way (New York City), and share my thoughts afterward, if that does happen.

The film stars Martha Canga Antonio and Aboubakr Bensaihi.

Arbi and Fallah directed from a script they co-wrote with Nele Meirhaeghe and Hans Herbots.

Haling from Caviar/Climax Films, the film is produced by Frank Van Passel, Ivy Vanhaecke and Bert Hamelinck, and executive produced by Hendrik Verthe, Kobe Van Steenberghe